Fianna Fáil will today promise to create a minimum of 250,000 jobs - or an average of 50,000 a year - over the lifetime of the next government if it is returned to power.
Minister for Enterprise Micheál Martin will outline a strategy to reach the ambitious target at the launch of the first of more than a dozen policy documents by the party across various sectors in the next two weeks.
Today's launch follows the publication on Monday of Fianna Fáil's economic policy document in which it outlined the financial framework within which it plans to meet its election commitments over the next five years. Mr Martin will claim that Fianna Fáil will achieve the job creation target by focusing on sustainable, pro-enterprise policies and investment in securing the transition to a high-value, knowledge-intensive economy.
The key elements of the plan, to be announced with Minister for Finance Brian Cowen, will include a promise to reduce by 25 per cent the "regulatory burden" faced by business. Priority will also be given to small and medium-size enterprises. A substantial programme of enhancing skills, working towards a target of increasing the number of workers with a qualification by 50 per cent, will also be announced.
Proposed investment in research and development will also be announced along with support for opening up new export markets for indigenous industry.
Mr Martin will pledge that Fianna Fáil will support a dynamic enterprise sector over the next five years and will fully cost the job creation policy, much of which is outlined in the National Development Plan published in February.
There has been concern at the hundreds of job losses that have been announced in the last six months, particularly in the high-tech sector. But in the last 24 hours more than 800 new jobs have been announced, including a promise of 500 new jobs by the Quinn group in the new health insurance business in Fermoy and 100 jobs in dental company DeCare in Cork.
Fianna Fáil will unveil its election policies in various sectors in the next few weeks including agriculture, crime, transport, education, health and the environment.